The US Senate has confirmed Markwayne Mullin as homeland security secretary, approving President Donald Trump's nominee to take over the embattled department after the firing of Kristi Noem during a public backlash over the administration's immigration enforcement and mass deportation operations.

Mullin, a Republican senator from Oklahoma known for his close friendship with Trump and former mixed martial arts fighter, has tried to present himself as a steady hand, saying his goal as secretary would be to get the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) off the front page of the news.

He takes over at a difficult time as Trump has ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to bolster airport security during a budget standoff in Congress. And he tangled with the Republican chairman Rand Paul of the homeland security committee, who questioned Mullin's character and temperament during last week's combative confirmation hearing.

Senators confirmed him on a largely party-line vote on Monday by a 54-45 margin, with Paul voting against Mullin and Democrats John Fetterman and Martin Heinrich joining the other Republicans in voting to confirm the nominee.

Routine funding for the DHS has lapsed since February 14, leading to long waits at airports as Transportation Security Administration agents call out rather than work without pay. Democrats are demanding the Trump administration make changes in immigration enforcement operations following the deaths of two US citizens during protests this year in Minneapolis. Trump has refused the latest proposal, and talks have stalled.

While Mullin comes to the position after more than a dozen years in Congress, and with the management experience of running an expanding family plumbing business in Oklahoma, he has not been seen as a key force in immigration issues.

A former collegiate wrestler who has led early-morning workout sessions in the members-only House gym, he became close with members of both parties and is often seen as a negotiator in partisan Washington.

It is his loyalty to Trump that landed him the job, and he’s not expected to sway from the president’s approach. Mullin was a strong supporter of Trump’s immigration agenda and ICE officers before being tapped for the department's top job.

“I can have different opinions with everybody in this room, but as secretary of homeland I’ll be protecting everybody,” Mullin said during his confirmation hearing.

Mullin’s first challenge will be to restore routine funding to the DHS that has been blocked since mid-February as Democrats demand tighter restraints. They want immigration officers to identify themselves and not wear masks; refrain from enforcement operations around schools, churches, hospitals and other sensitive locations; wear body cameras; and obtain a judge's approval on warrants before entering people's homes or private spaces. (AP)



Edited by Thomas McAlinden